Cushioning device



NOV. 5, 1940. EH. BLATTNER 2,220,074

CUSHIONING DEVICE Filed June 23, 1958 277/4 19. flow-Wu? I 191'; Gum/m4;

Patented Nov. 1940 UNlTED; STATES PATENT (OFFICE? 25 Claims. (01. 267-9) The invention relates tocushioning mechanisms or devices for use in'a railway vehicle and" being particularly adapted to functionas means for in resiliently supporting a bolster or loadcarrying member from an associated side frame as well as dampen, turb or break down synchronous o harmoni actions in associated bolster supposprings. v

Heret'ofore "cushioning devices of the present character were designed to .employ release 'springs having-a normalheightless than an Association of American Railways standard sprin with the result that .the devices required special release springs. v

An object of the present invention is to pro-. vide, in a cushioningmechanism, 'a release spring having a normal height substantially equal o 1 the normal height of an Amerlcan'nssociation of Railways standard spring so that the spring may either be used in combination .with a cushioning device or, it so desired, employed in combination with a spring of the same character.

v vAnother object of the invention is to so 0011-:

structandarrangeacushioningdevlceastoresiliently and irictionally resist an initial comp'ressive movement of the .device and, after a predetermined compressive movement thereof to sue additional resilient element;

A featurefof the invention is the provision, in a cushioning device, of a shell member having portions of complementary segmental ex-' tending within thesshellmember and adapted to be urgedradially of the device into bearing relation with said shell member by means of an axially disposed ylinder formed of a resilient material; the cylinder and shoes having a followermember therewith so that, after a :predetermined compressive movement of the devicesthe shell member wiILQ-ctuate'the' follower and energize the cylinder. 1 v 4' Another feature of the invention'is to arrange the cylinder, shoesfand follower in such]. manner-that'whenthe follower is actuated and the I eylinderisenersiled, shear stresses will be de- 4; veloped'inthecylind'er. a p

- ,Thgse asjwell as numerous other-obiects'and features will becomeiapparentfromthesucceeddetailed description'of the invntion which ,..is to be considered together with th Q in: the latter of which. Q, amplified form of the invention. j considering the various figur disclosed in I is a m 5 aformogp structure.

structure.

supporting springs during service. pressive movement'of the'device ly ofthe device from the casing I.

the present invention, a portion thereof being 11- lustrated in elevation to more'clearly disclose-the I Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view'taken along the lines 2-2 of Figure-1, looking in the 5 direction of the arrows.

Figure} is a sectionaiv view taken thro h'a plane spaced below that of Figure 2 andmg. the lines 3l of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a detailed elevational view of a rtion of the device removed from the assem Referring now in detailto the drawing, 'whei e iinjlke 'referencecharacters designate like, parts, 15

the numeral lgenerallyindicates a cushioning mechanism or devicecapable of resiliently supporting a superimposed bolster'or load carrying member in a railway truck as'well as disturbing orbrealdngv downsynchronous or harmonic 110- tions or vibrations created in associated bolster The com- I is resiliently and irictionally resisted while the expansive movement of the device is irictionally-resisted; 2 the resilient means being employed during the expansive movement tozretur n thedevice to a normal or expanded position.

. The cushioning device includes a barrelfor shell member being formed" of a casing I desirably cylindrical in form and having an axially .disposedborel. Thecasingiisopenattheone or lower extremity thereof and closedat the other or top extremity by means of a cap or closing plate I. The closing plate desirably has a centrally disposed, outwardlyfacing relief i"adapt-- ed to receive 'a spring positioning means (not shown)- to retaimthe upper or'associated ex-' tremity of the devicein a predetermined posiam, It of course, bs-understood that the 40 relic! may, if desired, be formed to extend en-r tirely through ,the closing plate to present an opening into the bore 4, and th s formed. aperture may be occupied by a fabricated cap 'if' it is desired to'c'lose the*aperture to arrest the entrance of'dirt or any foreign substance-to within'the device. The closing'plate is provided with a circumambient downwardly or inwardlyfacing inclined surface A! which extends outward- 5o Movably associated with the'shell member, and particularly the casing portion thereof, isa plurality a: substantially segmental shoes'leach of which comprises astem-l desirably tomes as-a; ring seotor in horizontal cross5l drical convex wearing surface 8 substantially co-' axial and in bearing relation with a correspondingly formed inner concave wearing surface ID of the casing. The stem portions merely extend into the bore a distance sufficient to allow, during service, acontinued inward movement thereof so as to effect a telescoping movement of the shell member and shoes.

Each shoe includes a flange ll, preferably circular in form, extending outwardly of the device from adjacent the lower extremity of the web. Superimposed upon the flanges II and positioned inwardly of the device therefrom is a ring or annular member l2 adapted to carry the shoes outwardly of the device during the expanding movement thereof. The ring or annular member is providedwith an undercut relief or recess l3 facing outwardly of the device to form a receptacle for the shoe flanges ll. Sufllcient clearance is provided between the ring and shoes so as to allow either a free axial movement of the ring with respect to the shoes or an unrestricted radial movement of the shoes with respect to the ring without creating-any abnormal strains inv the device during service. The ring or annular member is provided with a circumambient inclined surface l4 facing upwardly or inwardly of the dsevice toward the closing plate inclined r. face f In order to resiliently resist the compressive movement ofthe device as well as provide means for returning a compressed device to expanded position, a coil or helical spring l5, extending circumjacent the casing in spaced relation thereto, has and convolutions I 6 thereof bearing against the shell member and ring. The coil spring employed in the instant structure is preferably of the standard American'Association of Railways type of bolster supporting spring andmay, if desired, comprise the outer coil of a standard double-coil spring group, the purpose of this being that the spring l5 may be associated with either an inner coil spring or a structure of the present invention. The use of this particular spring will also obviate the necessity of a specially constructed release or supporting spring. a In order to construct a cushioning device hav ing as a part thereof a spring of the character just described, the" device is constructed so as to maintain an over-all length or height substantially equal to, but desirably not greater than, the normal height ,of the included release spring or associated bolster supporting springs. To accomplish this purpose the end convolutions l6 are provided with outwardly facing inclined faces I! each of which is complementarily formed and engages the inclined surfaces 6 and ll of the closing plate and annular member respectively. In

this manner, therefore, the normal height of the spring is substantially equal to the normal height of the cushioning device as well as a standard American Association of Railways bolster supporting spring, and if for any reason the spring should fail during service it may easily .be replaced by a standard American Association of Railways moil spring'which has its end convolutions slightly modified by grinding. Also, if for any reason it is desired to remove a cushioning device of the instant type from a railway truck and replace it by a single coil spring, the assembled device can easily be removed, dismantled and the release spring 15 replaced in operable posiion.

The shoes are urged radially of the device by means of an inner axially disposed cylindrical.-

resilient member [8, preferably formed of a solid material such as, for instance, rubber, which is in bearing relation with the shoe stems. The cylinder is, when removed from the associated parts of the device, of a normal circumferential dimension greater than the normal inner corresponding dimension of the assembled shoes so that,

when the cylinder is associated with the shoe stems preparatory to inserting the shoes and cylinder into the casing, the cylinder will be placed under an initial compression and thereby will be capable of urging and retaining the stem convex surfaces 9 in bearing relation with the casing concave surface It]. Any relative movement, therefore, between the shoes and shell member will create frictional forces acting upon the surfaces Stand 10 to thereby increase the capacity of the device and also develop a period of vibration different from that of the associated bolster supporting springs. When the cylinder is removed from the device the end portions thereof are preferably formed as plane surfaces substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder, and as a result thereof when the cylinder isv compressed between the segmental shoes the resilient mass will flow outwardly of the end portions to form. upper and lower bulged spherical convex surfaces I8 and l8 respectively. It will, of course, be understood that, if so desired, the end portions may be so pre-formed as to result in cylindrical convex surfaces when the cylinder is compressed between associated shoes.

Positioned intermediate the ends of each shoe stem is an inwardly directed shelf or shoulder l9 which partially underlies and is in abutting relation with-one or the lower surface l8 of the cylinder. Theextent to which the shelf or shoulder underlies the cylinder may be varied to any desired degree, the purpose being to restrict or arrest a downward or relative shifting movement between the cylinder and shoes. Positioned intermediate each shoulder and shoe flange II is a reinforcing rib 20 extending inwardly of the device from each shoe stem 8.

adjacent one or the upper extremity thereof is an angular flange 2| positioned in spaced relation to the upper surface ill of the cylinder and defining an axially disposed aperture 22. Interposed between the flanges 2| and the cylinder is Forming a continuation of each shoe stem 8 a follower or plunger 23 having a head portion 24 normally underlying the flanges in bearing relation thereto so as to restrict the movement of the plunger in one or an upward direction. The

head portion is desirably formed with a downwardly facing spherical convex surface 25 having a portion thereof bearing against the upper convex surface I8 of the cylinder. As will be understood, the convex surface 25 may, if so desired, be formed cylindrically as it is not the present intention to limit the particular disposition of the convex surface 25 'to a spherical configuration.

The follower or plunger head has extending upwardly therefrom a stem 26 which projects through the flange defining aperture '22 toward the shell end plate 5. After a predetermined compressive movement of the device the shell end plate 5 will engage the follower stem and thereby actuate the follower moving,the head portion away from the flanges 2 I. This movement of the follower will energize the resilient cylinder and thereby form an additional resilient means to resist the compressive movement of the device aswell as create component radial forces which will increase the frictional force between the shoe stems and shell casing; By reason ot-the associated spherical convex surfaces on. the follower "head and cylinder end any downward movement of the follower will gradually energize the cylinder, as will be understood. Itv will benoted, how

'ous changes and-modifications may be made thereto without departing from within the-spirit and scope of the'appended claims."

I claim: Y I

1. A cushioning device comprising a shell memher having a downwardly facing inclined surface,

' counterpart shoes each having an outwardly extending radial flange and astem portion extending within and adapted to frictionally engage said shell member, resilient means axially disposed within said device and urging. d shoes radially of said device, a ring superimp said shoe flanges and provided with an inwardly facing inclined surface, and a coil spring liaving'- a normal height substantially equal to the normal height of the'device, said-spring having outwardly facing inclined surfaces in bearing relation with said shell member and ring inclined surfaces. f I

2. In a cushioning device, in com ation, a

40 barrel member comprising a casing a d an end plate, counterpart segmental shoes having a stem portion extending i'nto'and adapted to frictionally engage said casing, spring means circumiacent said'casing for/ urging said barrel'member and shoes apart, each of said shoestems having an inwardly directed shoulder intermediate the ends thereof and an inwardly directed flange adjacent one on thereof, a resilient solid cylinder disposed axi y of said device for urging said shoes into intimate contact with'said casing, said cylinder bearing on'said stem shoulders, a plunger having a head portion in intimate contact with said cylinder and underlying said stem flanges, said plunger having a stem upstanding from said head and' a'surface on said stemin spaced relation to said end plate so that, upon a compressive movement of said device, said end plate will engage said stem surface andthereby place said cylinder in shear. e

3. A cushioning device comprising a shell memher having an inclined surface, counterpart shoes each having an outwardly extending radial flange and a stem portion extending within and adapted 'to frictionally engage said shell member, resilient .5 means;positioned between said shoes for urging them radially of said device, a ring having a downwardly facing relief for the reception of said 7 shoe flanges. and provided with an'inclined surface facing said shell member inclined surface, a

helical spring having anormal heightsubstantially equal to the normal height of .the'device, and endconvolutions-of said'helical spring:-.pr0- videdwith inclined surfaces in bearing relhtion .with' said shell member and ring inclined sur-' faces.

that i ed upon .vice, said shell member will engage said plunger Bio 4. In acushioning device, in combination, a barrel member comprising a casing and an end plate, counterpart segmental shoes having a-stem portion extending into and adapted to frictional ly engage said casing. spring means circumjacent said casing for urging said barrel member and shoes apart, each of said shoe stems having, an inwardly directed shoulder ifrtermediatethe ends thereof and an inwardly directed flange adjacent one end thereof, a resilient cylinder disposed axially of said device for urging said shoes into, intimate contact with said casing, said cylinder bearing on said stem shoulders, a follower having a portion thereof underlying said stem flanges and in intimate contact with said cylinder, said 1'6 follower having an upstanding portion extending outwardly of said shoesand in spaced relation to said-end plate so that, upon a compressive a stem portion extending within and adapted to 25 frictionally engage said shell member, resilient means axially disposed within said device and urging said shoes'radially of said device, means engaging said resilient means and having a portion thereof spaced from said shell, 9, ring superimposed upon said shoe flanges and provided with. an inclined surface, and a c 11 spring having a normal height substantially equal to the normal height of the device, said spg'ing having inclined surfaces in bearing relation with said shell member and ring inclined surfaces, said shell being adapted to engage said means after a predetermined compressive movement of said device and thereby energize said resilient means.

6. A cushioning device comprising a shell memher having an inclined surface, counterpart, shoes each having an outwardlyextending radial'flange and a stem portion, said stem portion extending within and adapted to frictionally engage said shell member; a ring superimposed on said shoe flanges and provided with an inclined surface facing said shell member inclined surfaeea helical spring having inclined surfaces in bearing relation with said shell member and ring inclined surfaces and being adapted to urge said 50,

shell member and shoes apart, endflanges on said shoes extending inwardly of said device, resilient means interposed between said shoes for urging them radially, andplung'er means inter-' posed between said shoe end flanges and resilient 5 means, said plunger means having a portion spaced from said shell member so that, after. a

predetermined compressive movementof said defor energizing said resilient means. '1. A cushioning\ device. comprising a barrelmember' including a and an end plate, an inclined surface on said end plate, shoes having a portion thereof positioned within and resiliently urged into engagement with said casing, an annular member associated with said shoes,. an inclined surface on said annular-member .fac-' ing said end plate inclined Surface, spring means acting tween said barrel and annular members fore nding said device, and inclined surfaces on said spring means in bearing relation-with said. end plate and annular mem rinclined sur- .faces,'said'--springmeans having-a normal height substantially equal to-the'normal height of -the device 7 a 75 1 ber having a casing and an end plate, segmental shoes having a portion thereof positioned within said casing, an annular member associated with said shoes, spring means acting between said end plate, and annular member for expanding said device, shoulders on said shoes extending a in wardlyof said device, resilient means interposed between said shoes for urging them into bearing relation with said casing, said resilient means being in intimate contact with said shoulders, and a follower engaging the resilient means and having a portion thereof spaced from said end plate so that, upon a compressive movement of said device, the follower will be actuated by said end plate and thereby energize said resilient means.

9. A cushioning device comprising a shell member having a casing and an end plate, counterpart shoes having a portion thereof positioned within said casing, an annular-member associated with said shoes, spring means acting between said end plate and annular member for expanding said device, shelves onsaid shoes extending inwardly of said device, resilient means interposed between ,said shoes for urging them into bearing relationwith said casing, said re ilient means being in intimate contact with sai shelves and having a convex end surface, a follower engaging theresili ent means convex surface and having a portion thereof adapted to be engaged by said end plate so that, upon a compressive movement of said device, the follower will be actuated by said endplate and gradually energize said resilient means.

10. A cushioning device comprising a shell member having a casing and an end plate, counterpart segmental shoes having a portion thereof positioned-within said casing, an "annular member associated with said shoes, spring means acting between said end plate and, annular member for expanding said device, shoulders on said shoes extending inwardly of said device, resilient means interposed between said shoes for urging them into bearing relation with said casing, said resilient means .being in intimate contact with said shoulders, and a follower having a convex surface engaging the resilient means and a portion thereof directed toward said end plate so that, during a comp essive movement of said device, the follower ill be actuated by said end plate and gradually place said resilient means in shear;

.11. In a,cushioning device in combination, a shell member comprising a casing and an end plate, segmental shoes having a stem portion extending within said casing, spring means oncumjacent said casing and adapted to urge said shell member and shoes apart, a shelf inwardly of said device from each of said shoes, a solid resilient cylinder interposed between said shoes for urging them radially'into bearing relation with said casing, said cylinder having an end convex surface, a follower having a convex surface in bearing relation with said cylinder convex surface, and a stem portion extending toward said end plate so that, after a predetermined compressive movement of said device, said end plate will engage said stem portion and actuate said follower to thereby urge said cylinder into intimate contact with said shelves and gradually 7o develop shear stresses in said cylinder.

12. In a'cushioning device, in combination, a shell member comprising a casing and an end plate, counterpart shoes each having a stem portion extending within said casin spring means circumjacent said casing and adapted to urge said shell member and shoes. apart, a shoulder formed on each of said shoe stems intermediate the ends thereof, inwardly directed flanges adjacent one end of each stem spaced from said shoulders, solid resilient means having a portion thereof in bearing relation with said shoulders and adapted to urge said shoes radially into hearing relation with said casing, a follower member interposed between said stem flanges and solid resilient means, said follower and resilient means each having a spherical convex surface, said follower being adapted to be actuated by said end plate and urge said follower convex surface into bearing relation with said resilient means convex surface to thereby gradually develop shear stresses in said resilient means.

13. In a cushioning device, a shell member having segmental shoes movable relatively thereto, spring means urging said shell member and shoes apart, a shoulder extending inwardly of said device from each shoe, a solid resilient cylinder bearing upon said shoulders and urging said shoes radially of said device into intimate contact with said shell member, and movable plunger means engaging said cylinder, said plunger being adapted to be actuated by said shell member for developing shear stresses in said cylinder.

14. In a cushioning device, a shell member having counterpart shoes movable relatively thereto, spring means urging said shell member and shoes apart, a shelf extending inwardly of said device from each shoe, a rubber cylinder bearingupon said shelves and urging said shoes outwardly of said device into bearing relation with said shell member, and a follower engaging said cylinder, said -follower having a portion thereof spaced from and adapted to be engaged by said shell member so that, upon a predetermined compressive movement of said device, said follower will be actuated by said shell member and thereby develop shear stresses in said cylinder.

15. A cushioning device comprising a shell member having an inclined surface, a plurality of shoes each having a stem portion extending within and adapted to frictionally engage said shell member, resilient means positioned between saidshoes for urging them radially of the device, a ring associated with said shoes and provided with an inclined surfacefacing said shell member nism acting between said shell member and shoes for urging themapart, said resilient means having inclined surfaces in bearing relation with said I confronting inclined surfaces.

17. In a cushioning device having relatively movable elements, said elements having substantially confronting inclined surfaces at opposed extremities of the device, spring means havinga normal height substantially equal to the height of said device, and inclined surfaces on said spring means in engagement with said confronting in- 15 clined surfaces, said spring means being adapted to urge said relatively movable elements apart.

18. A shell member for use in a cushioning device comprising a casing for the reception of relatively movable elements and an end plate associated with one end of said casing, said end 20. In a cushioning device, a shell member hav-,

ing segmental shoes movable relatively thereto, spring means urging said shell member and shoes apart, a resilient cylinder within said shoes urging them' radially of the device into intimate contact with said shell member, a convex surface on said cylinder, and movable means associated with said convex surface, said movable means being adapted to be actuated by said shell member to thereby gradually energize said cylinder.

21. In a cushioning device, in combination, a barrel member having segmental shoes movable relatively thereto, spring means urging said barrel member and shoes apart, a resilient cylinder within said shoes adapted tourge them radially of the device into intimate contact with said barrel member, and movable means having an armate surface associated with said cylinder, said movable means being adapted to be actuated during a compressive movement of said device to thereby gradually energize said cylinder.

22. In a cushioning device, in combination, a shell member having shoes movable relatively thereto, spring means urging said shell member and shoes apart, a shoulder extending inwardly of said device from each of said shoes. a resilient cylinder bearing upon said shoulders and urging said shoes radially of said device into intimate contact with said shell member, and means associated with said device so that, upon a compressive movement of said device, said means will be actuated to develop shear stresses in said resilient cylinder. 2

, 23. A shoe for use in a cushioning device having, in combination, a stem adapted to frictionally engage an associated shell member, a flange adjacent one'end of said stem, a shoulder intermediate the ends of said stemforming an abutment for an associated resilient means, and a flange directed oppositely from said first-named flange and positioned adiacent the other end of said stem. l

24. In a cushioning device, in combination, a shell member having housing forming shoes movable relatively thereto, spring means urging said shell member and shoes apart, a resilient cylinder positioned within said shoe housing and being, when removed from the device, of greater circumferential dimension than the normal circumference of said housing so that, upon application of said resilient cylinder to said housin it will be initially compressed to thereby urge said shoes into intimatecontact with said shell member, and movable means retained in a predetermined position by said shoes and adapted to energize said resilient cylinder upon a compres sive movement of said device.

25. In a cushioning device, in combination, a shell member having shoes movable relatively thereto, spring means urging said shell member and shoes apart; a resilient cylinder interposed between said shoes and being, when removed from the device, of greater horizontal dimension than the distance between said shoes so that,

actuated upon a compressive movement of said device to develop shear stresses in said resilient cylinder.

. EMJL H. BLA'I'INER. 

